A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fordham family of England.
Reg. 9632 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Sa. a chev. betw. three crosses patonce or”
EnglandEly, c. 1388
Where the Fordham Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Fordham arms are recorded
The Fordham arms were recorded in Ely, c. 1388.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
Richard II of England
Sovereign of the period
Richard II of England
1377–1399
Reigning in England when the Fordham arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Fordham Family in England
The name Fordham is a locative surname, meaning it was originally taken from a place name to identify where a person lived or came from. The name is derived from the Old English words "ford," meaning a shallow river crossing, and "ham," meaning a homestead or village. This suggests that the earliest ancestors of the family resided near a river crossing that served as a central point for their community. By the year 1388, records confirm that members of the Fordham family were established in the city of York. During this period, families often moved to major urban centers like York to participate in the growing trade and craft guilds that defined medieval city life. As these individuals settled into the city, the name Fordham became a permanent way to track their lineage and their connection to their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
ford and ham
A shallow river crossing and an enclosed settlement or homestead.
This name
FordhamRefers to a person who lived near a river crossing by a village or enclosure.
also spelled
Fordam
Fordame
Related arms
Fordam, or Fordhamvariant spelling
Dayrecorded with Fordham, same area
De Fontibusrecorded with Fordham, same area
Hollandrecorded with Fordham, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
York City Archives, York Memorandum Book, 1388
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chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
